Racket press



Aug. 11, 1925. 1,549,114

G. C. E. HAMPDEN RACKE'I: PRESS Filed Jan. 2, 19 5 Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

GEOFFREY OROMWELL EDWARD HAMPDEN, OF PULBOR-OUGH, ENGLAND.

RACKET PRESS.

Application filed January 2, 1925. Serial No. 256.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEOFFREY CnoMwn L EDWARD HAMPDEN, a subject of the King of England, and residing at Pulborough, in the county of Sussex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racket Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to racket presses and has for its object to provide a portable press which will be more eflicientin operation than those hitherto proposed without being of such size or construction as to add materially to the weight or overall dimein sions of the racket when applied thereto.

According to this invention the press con1- prises a pair of similar frames having approximately the same outline as the main portion of the racket frame and adapted to bear directly thereon, and straps or loops pivot-ally mounted upon a member extending across each frame which encircle the edge of the frame and engage upwardly projecting ribs or the like so formed thereon that, when these loops are turned about their pivots, pressure is brought to bear upon the frames at not less than three points.

The loops or straps may have their free ends pivotally mounted upon a common central pivot, on each transverse member but preferably two endless loops or straps are used pivoted to the member extending across the frame and adapted to grip the frames at four points, where inclined ribs are provided to cooperate with them.

The member extending across the frame may be in the form of a cross-rib or spider, or each frame may be connected to or formed integral with a plate of approximately the same outline as the racket face. Each frame is preferably formed ofmetal of channel cross-section and the upstanding ribs on the edges thereof not only form a reinforcement surrounding the entire frame or the major portion thereof but are preferably of increased depth at the required points so as to provide the inclined surfaces with which the clamping members engage.

In the preferred construction where two similar endless straps are employed adapted to grip the shoulders of the frames and at points diametrically opposite thereto, each endless strap is conveniently bent into the shape of the letter V, the pivot passing through the angle formed by the junction of the two arms of the V.

of the racket between the frames and further prevent any tendency for the frames to twist relatively to one another. Such an arrangement, however, is optional and may be dispensed with.

lVhen plates or discs are provided either i 7' in place of or in addition to the transverse frame member, the press may be used as a waterproof protective shield for each side of the'racket as well as a press. Further, instead of two endless loops, one U-shaped member may be mounted upon the pivots which carry a single V-shaped endless loop, the frame in this case being engaged only at three points.

Two forms of press according to this invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, the racket being indicated in chain lines, and

Figure 2 is an elevation on a reduced scale of an alternative construction.

In the construction shown in Figure 1, the press comprises two identical metal frames A of substantially the same outline as the face of the racket but provided with an approximately straight base portion A. The frames are formed from metal by pressing or in any other suitable manner and are of channel cross-section as shown having an upstanding rib B at each. edge and preferably a central corrugation B. Each frame is provided with a transverse memher 0 also of channel section the upper surface of this member being approximately in the same plane as the upper edges of the ribs B which it adjoins. The transverse member may be formed integral with the frames or subsequently attached thereto and its place may be taken by a plate ribbed or channelled to give it strength formed integral with or suitably secured to the frames. At about its cent-re each trans verse member C is provided with apivot D which carries a pair of endless loops or straps E E bent to the shape of the letter V and embracing the edges of the frames.

At the shoulders of the frame Athe ribs B are of gradually increasing depth so as to form cams or ramps B and the ribs are similarly raised at B so that when the lower ends of the loops E E are drawn towards one another, they engage these cams and thus force the frames together so that the racket is firmly gripped between them. As the loops are endless and practically 1nextensible, they do not tend to spread or open out and, further, simultaneously exert the necessary pressure on the four points of the frame with a single operation of each loop.

Then the racket is to be removed, the lower ends of the arms or loops E E are separated, or the upper ends are drawn towards one another, so that the loops ride down the inclines B B and release the pressure 011 the frames. Continued movement of these arms causes the upper ends of these loops to engage a ram F at the upper end of the frame and so, by the upper ends of the frames being drawn together, the base portions thereof A are separated, thus facilitating the removal and subsequent re-insertion of the racket.

To prevent the frames twisting relatively to one another and to serve as a distance piece and to constitute a stop to determine the correct position of the racket, one or more ties or connecting strips such as G may be provided, or one or more pins or rivets may be employed to connect the two frames together, the connection being in all cases such as to enable the framesto have the necessary parallel movement when pressed together or drawn apart.

The alternative construction shown in Figure 2 differs only from that shown in Figure 1 in that instead of two endless loops being used, one of such loops H is mounted upon the same pivot D as the ends of a U- shaped clamp J, the cams on the frame being correspondinglypositioned so that the frames are pressed together at three points only. 7

The racket press constructed according to the present invention comprises a minimum number of parts which can be cheaply made and easily assembled while further to bring the pressure-applying members into or out of operation, it is only necessary to grasp them at one end, that is to say, it is necessary only to operate two members to exertpressure upon all parts of the frames.

The invention is particularly applicable to frames stamped out from metal but it will be understood that the frames may be made partly or wholly from wood or other material and that the discs or plates, when such are provided, can be quite separate from the frames and formed of some flexible waterproof material or else formed of the same material as the frame so as to constitute a structural portion thereof.

' What I claim as my invention and desire to secure bv Letters Patent is 1. In a portable racket press the combina tion of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon, a member extending across each frame, a plurality of straps pivotally mounted to each of said members said straps encircling the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at not less than three points on the upper'surface of each frame with which the strapscooperate to force the frames together.

2. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon, a member extending across each frame, a single pivot on each of said members, a plurality of inextensible straps mounted on said pivots the ends of the straps encircling the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at not less than three points on the upper surface of each frame with which the straps cooperate to force the frames together.

3. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon, a member extending across each frame, a plu "ality of'endless straps pivotally mounted to each of said members said straps encircling the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at not less than three points on the upper surface of each frame with which the straps cooperate to force the frame together.

4:- In a portable racket press the combination with two similar frames having the same outline as the main portion of the racket frame and formed of channeled cross-section with the ribs thereof projecting upwardly therefrom, a member extending across each frame, a single pivot on the centre line of each of such members, a plurality of inextensible straps mounted to turn upon said pivots the upwardly projecting ribs on each frame being inclined at not less than three points to constitute cams with which the straps cooperate to force the frames together as set forth.

5. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon, a member extending across each frame, a pair of endless straps pivotally mounted to each of said members said straps encircling the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at the head and shoulder portions of each frame with which the straps simultaneously cooperate so as to force the frames together simultaneously at four points.

6. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted tobear directly thereon, a member extending across each frame, a pair of endless straps of V-shape pivotall mounted to each of said members said straps encircling the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at the head and shoulder portions of each frame with which the straps simultaneously cooperate so as to force the frames together simultaneously at four points.

7. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon. a member extending across each frame, a pair of endless straps of V-shape, a common pivot for each pair of straps on the centre of the transverse member, and upwardly projecting cams formed at not less than three points on the upper surface of each frame with which the straps cooperate to force the frames together.

8. In a portable racket press the combination of a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the main portion of the racket frame, a plate extending across and filling each of said frames so as to constitute a unit therewith, pivots mounted on the plates, aplurality of straps mounted upon said pivots so that the ends of the straps embrace the edges of the frames, and upwardly projecting cams formed at not less than three points on each of said frames with which the loops cooperate to force the frames together.

9. In a portable racket press the combination with a pair of frames having approximately the same outline as the frame of the racket and adapted to bear directly thereon, of a member extending across each frame, upwardly projecting cams formed on the outer surface of each frame at not less than three points, and a plurality of loops pivotally mounted upon the transverse members so as to encircle the edges of the frames said loops not only cooperating with the cams to force the frames together but serving to hold the frames apart when the racket is removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEOFFREY CROMWELL EDWARD HAMPDEN. 

